Where Earth and Sky Meet
by ABSilverstreak
Summary: Continued from "One Last Chance". Unicron lives and restores two Decepticons to their former glory, though one without half his memories. Can Alexis help restore them before he's lost to Unicron forever? T just in case, might change.
1. Prologue

_Hello again to everyone! After several long years of many things going on and a decision to watch Transformers: Armada again, I got some new ideas for a continuation of "_One Last Chance_". That one-shot itself will remain a one-shot, and this entire story will be the continuation of it under a new name. I didn't know until recently that I would begin writing more from that one single short fic, but I always had an idea that I could make more from it. I will be marking "_One Last Chance_" as "Complete", but the story continues here. This story takes place in the time of Transformers: Energon, so there ARE some elements of the Energon storyline, such as Alexis being an ambassador between the human and Transformer species. However I do not base this story on Energon, but rather on Armada. So, consider it an Alternate timeline, if you will. Please enjoy and pass the word along!_

"Where Earth and Sky Meet"

Prologue

(Takes place three years after the end of Armada)

If I knew then what I know now...

The rain fell steadily but thick on a day three years later. The accident was all over the news. A small white car with a single woman in it had been blindsided by a semi that ran a red light. Police officers had marked off the intersection with yellow caution tape while paramedics gathered around the remains of the small white car. A woman had been pulled out, blood covering most of her face. She was conscious, but barely.

A helicopter flew above, streaming live coverage of the accident. The semi was at an angle across the intersection, having tried to hit the breaks. The theory was that he tried to stop before he hit the red light, but in the rain caused him to hydroplane slightly and he slid through the intersection. People had stopped and gotten out of their cars, not minding the rain as they stood around the yellow tape, their eyes glued to the scene, worry on their faces and prayers being spoken silently on their lips.

But life was not meant to be that day. The woman died only moments later, managing to whisper something into the ear of one of the paramedics before her broken body could no longer support her. With a single last breath, her life as humans know it ceased to exist. The driver of the semi stood only a few feet away, his face drenched in rain, but the expression of his face told that more than just rain fell over his face.

Alexis stared at the scene on the television, her soul breaking in half. The woman was her very own mother, who had been headed back from the store. She had gone to get groceries for dinner that night, planning on making something special for Alexis. It was the anniversary of when the three kids had all come back, and her mother had nearly died with worry(or so she felt) over where Alexis had gone. So now, every year, they had a small celebration at her mother's insistence to celebrate the fact that Alexis came back alive. It was almost like a second birthday, but without the presents. Just a good dinner and mother-daughter time.

She swallowed and stood, grabbing her jacket and stopping to get Sureshock, who had decided (along with Grindor and Highwire) to come back to Earth to live with their human companions. The two of them sped towards the intersection where the accident had happened, water drenching her through her jacket and soaking her transforming scooter. Neither minded at all. Sureshock understood what was going on and had no need to ask questions.

They stopped at the intersection as the woman's body was being lifted into the ambulance, covered in a black bag. Her heart tore in two and she tried to get past the yellow tape, an officer stopping her.

"Miss, you can't go in there. You have to stay here."

"That's my mother! Let me past! That's my mom!" She yelled, tears mixing with the rain as she fought with the officer. The poor man's eyes widened and he nodded, lifting the tape and escorting her towards the ambulance. He helped her up and closed the door as Alexis sat down next to her mother's covered body, her face contorted in pain. The officer hooked her scooter to the front of the ambulance and then slapped the hood when he was done, signaling that they were set to go.

The sirens didn't scream as the engine began to pull them forward, the people surrounding the area quietly stepping aside to let them pass. It was always a sad day when one of their own died in an accident such as this. Police moved to begin cleaning up the mess as the ambulance moved slowly out of sight.

The paramedic riding in the back looked at Alexis with sad eyes.

"Are you her daughter?" He asked softly. Alexis only nodded, staring at the black bag. The paramedic was silent a moment before speaking.

"She wanted me to give you a message...she said..."Tell my daughter...to be brave. And to never give up hope." He said softly, relaying the whispered words she had spoken before she passed on. Alexis looked up at the paramedic, her normally bright eyes clouded with pain. She nodded stiffly, swallowing hard. "T...thanks..."

Through the following days she would be faced with the pain of her mother dying and the subsequent resurfacing of another's death. She had loved her mom very much, and the pain was almost too much to handle. She had found herself wishing, yet again, that Starscream was still alive. Out of everyone she wanted to be near in this time it was him. But she couldn't figure out why she wanted him there so badly. Sure, she wanted her friends, but more often than not she found herself locked in her room or buried in homework trying to forget. Forget the past, forget the pain, forget how she felt.

But the pain of losing her mother forced her to look at the hidden facet of emotion that she hadn't known three years previous. It was the feeling she couldn't describe as he walked away that day, that feeling of him tearing a piece of her away with him with each step, the feeling of a deeper connection, a special connection that she couldn't identify.

The day after her mother's quiet, misty funeral, Alexis sought out Optimus Prime over the comm in the Autobot base on Earth. She asked for his help, as she had nowhere else to turn. An hour later her and Optimus sat alone in the command center of the old Autobot base, the lights mostly dim save for a few computer lights. Alexis sat near his feet as the larger of the two sat down to listen to her.

"What is it, Alexis?" Optimus had asked, concern crossing his masked face. He cared for his human friends, and when one was distraught, he made every attempt to be there and help. Alexis sighed softly, staring at the crystal in her hands.

"My mother...she died a few days ago..." she started, her words a bit shaky. Optimus nodded gently.

"I see...and it is hard to accept it?"

Alexis nodded, but she seemed reserved.

"Yes...but..." She paused, unsure of how to explain the next part. "It...it's making me remember Starscream's death." She managed to say quietly, revealing that she was going through two deaths instead of one, even though one was already three years old. Optimus nodded and hummed, a deep, soft rumble emanating from below his chestplates.

"I knew his death affected everyone...it even affected Megatron's decision to join forces with us and battle Unicron together. His death was not in vain, Alexis." Optimus said, trying to comfort her. He had no idea how deep the pain really went, though. Alexis bit her lip and shook her head.

"No, I know it wasn't. But...I think I figured out why I was so...hurt back then." She said, grasping her sea-foam-green crystal in her hand. She had never seen Starscream's spark before, but secretly she imagined that the crystal was the same color as his spark, or vice-versa. When the crystal would glow, it was a very pale, soft green, almost white with a green aura that would light up the corner of her room where it would sit. A sad smile flitted across her face as she stared at the crystal, her thumb tracing the line of the crack that bore glaringly down the center of it. Behind her, Optimus raised an eyeridge under his blue head armor.

"You were just as saddened as everyone else was, Alexis..." Optimus offered, slightly confused.

"No. Do you remember me running out fo the communications room as you told us what happened via the vidscreen?" She asked, turning her head to look up at him. He nodded, letting her continue.

"I was in tears, Optimus. Sure, Fred was, too, but...he was always a crybaby..." she said, chuckling a bit before continuing. "Optimus...I felt like my heart was...ripped out..." she said very softly, clutching her crystal to her chest. "Like a part of me was ripped away in the most painful way, like I lost someone I had...loved...like my mom..." She finished, tears brimming in her eyes again as she turned around again, her shoulders shaking slightly from fighting against crying again. She had done it too much these past few days.

Optimus's optics grew wide. NOW he understood why she had truly been so affected by the Seeker's death. He knew they had formed a close bond of friendship, that she had managed to touch him in a way that no one had ever managed to. Everyone else had been oblivious, but there were times when he had seen how they stared at each other briefly during arguments on the Autobot base, how he always seemed to hesitate in his rash actions if she spoke. She seemed to be a centerpiece for him, a grounding for him. Someone who managed to be that blanket of soothing calm over his spark, even if he didn't realize it at first. Apparently even Alexis didn't realize it until now.

When Optimus didn't speak right away, Alexis turned back around to see him staring at her. Her cheeks grew flushed red and she stood, still clutching the crystal to her. "I'm sorry...I know this is all crazy, but I-"

Optimus held a hand out, stopping her from saying any more.

"Alexis, it's alright. I never realized just how deep your connection with him went. I am assuming now that you didn't know until now, either." His voice was calm and reassuring. He wasn't upset or degrading at all. "You developed a connection with him and feelings for him that you didn't understand, and that's alright. He is ...was...a living being. Every living being has the right to love, Alexis. Though your choice might be looked down upon in your race, I would have no right to condemn it. Were he alive, and your feelings progressed, you would have had my support."

Though his correction about Starscream being alive shot another lance through her heart, she was relieved and even grateful to the Leader for his kind words. She knew she could trust him with this. A soft smile came to her lips even as a few tears finally released their hold on her bottom eyelashes and tumbled down her cheeks. Optimus smiled behind his faceplate, the metal under his optics shifting upwards slightly.

"Love is a part of Freedom, and Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. The choice is always yours."

Alexis closed her eyes as a few more tears fell down her cheeks and she leaned against the Autobot leader's leg her body shaking softly as she let the tears fall more freely.

"Thankyou, Optimus..." she said, still holding her pendant close to her. Optimus let her have her moment of weakness there in the dim lights against his leg, one large hand coming down behind her and touching her back gently in a comforting gesture. After a moment she managed to look up at him, her face wet with tears of fresh pain and relief.

"Can we...keep this between us? I don't need Rad and Carlos knowing, and I don't want to know what Hotshot, Jetfire and the others might think. At least...for now?" She asked, watching the other's gold optics, all her trust on him as it always has been. Optimus nodded.

"Of course. The decision to inform them when you wish is yours, just as it was to contact me." He said, looking down at his small human friend. They had done so much to help the Autobots, he felt it only right to be there in his friend's time of need. Alexis looked even more relieved, and sighed, wiping her face with her arm.

"It still hurts...but I think I will be okay. I just...needed to say it all to someone. Thankyou for being here, Optimus. Thankyou for listening."

Optimus smiled under his faceplate again and nodded.

"Anytime, Alexis, anytime."

* * *

><p>AN - I am hoping that this story goes as planned. So far I nearly have Ch.1 done already, and I think it's going alright. I don't predict it going as far as AfaF did, or as long, but I do hope it is just as good. I haven't seen Energon yet, but I know the basic jyst of it. Remember, I am not basing this off of Energon, but it will have trace elements of it. Thankyou for reading and enjoy the future chapters!

PS - Confused Grindor with Sureshock. This is now fixed.


	2. Ch1  Living with the Pain

Where Earth and Sky Meet

Chapter 1: Living with the Pain

"Alexis...?"

She woke with a sudden jolt, her hands pulling inward as she sat up at her desk in the Autobot's base on the earth, papers flying into her lap as she did so. Remanents of a vivid dream floated at the back of her mind, flickering and fading like a brilliant firework fading against the night sky. Behind her, Optimus Prime had touched her shoulder, the warm metal of his finger pulling away as she jerked awake.

"I'm awake! I just..." Her voice faded as she saw her desk, her papers strewn about. She knew she had fallen asleep again and sighed heavily. "...I guess I just needed a nap..." she said, turning to look up at the Autobot Leader. A sheepish smile crossed her face, scrunching up the imprints of the keyboard on her desk that were on her cheek. Optimus, even with the faceplate in front of his face as always, looked sad, even grave.

"Alexis...you've been acting strange for two weeks now...are you alright? You seem to not be getting the required amount of rest lately." He asked quietly, watching her expression. He had knelt down previously to wake her, and was still in that position. He watched as Alexis' eyes darted to one side, then nod her head. Her sea-green eyes looked back at Optimus, and she knew she couldn't lie to him. She had confided in him once before, years ago, about the pain she had felt all those years ago. She hung her head, looking down at her hands as she grabbed the papers in her lap gently and placed them on her desk where they belonged.

"...Just...haven't been sleeping well. ...Bad dreams, I guess." She said, turning around in her chair to completely face him, her eyes glancing at the door to the main control room where her desk was. Optimus had noticed she had been on edge, more withdrawn, and far more tired than she had been before. Only twice had she been like this in the time he had known her; right after Starscream's death, and three years later when a family member of hers had died, triggering the memories of Starscream's death. But with that resurfacing came the realization of exactly how she felt back then when she was twelve. He wondered if she was facing something again that might have to do with him. He tilted his head, noticing she wasn't wearing her necklace today.

"You're not wearing your pendant..." He said even softer, glancing at the doorway as well. As long as it was just the two of them, they could talk in peace. Alexis glanced down and sighed softly.

"I left it at home. I just...I've been trying to let go, Optimus. I can't. That pendant...represents something that I can never have, never see again, never hope for again..." She said, closing her eyes, feeling the sting of the tears that began to threaten her eyes. She had figured that wearing the pendant was what was giving her the dreams that she had been having lately, therefore she decided to stop wearing it. Optimus gave a sad, mechanical-sounding sigh.

"Alexis...one thing I have learned from my time on earth is that you humans have a very large capacity for hope, trust and faith. To give up that faith is to give up what makes you human, Alexis. I do not think Starscream would have wanted you to give up." The leader in front of her said, speaking gently as he always did, his words always thought through and wise. Alexis frowned and looked away.

"Faith? Faith in what? He's not coming back, Optimus. If he was he would have done so already. Unicron killed him, you were witness to that yourself, remember?" She said, her voice turning cold. Optimus was hitting the nerve that had kept her up at all hours of the night lately, the same nerve that cause strange, realistic dreams to come to her over and over lately. "What am I supposed to have faith in when he is quite literally nothing but space dust now?"

Optimus couldn't help but chuckle softly, earning a very cold glower from the human girl in front of him. He reached out and placed a finger on her shoulder, the best he could do instead of trying to place his hand on her shoulder. "Alexis, does your race not believe that the deceased live on after death?"

His words stopped her heart in her chest. She stared into his gold optics, blinking for a moment.

"Well...yes...but what does that have to do with Starscream? He's of your race, not ours." She said, trying to be stubborn as always. No matter what happened in her life, her strength and weakness was her stubbornness.

"Maybe not, but he has what you humans call a soul, does he not? Do I not?"

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Well...but that's your spark, isn't it?" She asked, growing confused. Optimus shook his blue-armored head.

"Not quite. The spark in us is much like your physical heart. It powers us, keeps us running. But it also houses _who _we are. Your energy...your soul, rather, is kept in your entire body, flowing throughout you. It makes you who you are. Where does your energy go when your physical body dies?" He asked, watching Alexis' expressions. Confusion, and what he swore was the beginning of the return of hope, clouded her face. Alexis said nothing, so he continued. "It doesn't just dissipate. Energy must transfer somewhere, or become a part of something else. And because our sparks are pure energy, it is much easier for our 'soul' to transfer elsewhere." He said softly, seeing the emotion welling in her eyes. Alexis stared at him, her twin pools of blue-green eyes shining with small tears that were still threatening.

"Are you saying...he could truly be alive somewhere?" She whispered, one hand coming up to clasp her pendant, suddenly remembering she wasn't wearing it. Optimus grinned behind his faceplate and chuckled.

"His energy is around somewhere, I am sure of it, Alexis. Consider how I was brought back by the Minicons." He said, removing his hand. Alexis gasped softly, her eyes showing the shock and hope that maybe, just maybe...he really was out there. Maybe...her dreams WERE real after all. She looked at him, a thought suddenly coming to mind.

"Optimus…why didn't you say any of this earlier? Like back when he died? Or back when I came to you the first time?" She asked curiously. Optimus always knew when to say things and what to say. And often he held information until the time was right. Perhaps if he had said something back then, she wouldn't have lost hope to begin with. Optimus smiled; she could tell by how the metal around his optics shifted upwards slightly.

"I wished to let you believe in him as you normally would. I wanted to let you grieve in your own way, and not interfere with the way you handled anything." He explained calmly, watching her. "When you came to me that day after the funeral of your mother, I wanted to tell you then, but I didn't want to add unnecessary burdens to your already overloaded mind. You were going through a lot then, Alexis. Would you have wanted that extra knowledge then with everything you were going through?" He asked, his words ringing true. Alexis sighed, looking back down. He was right. Him telling her all this back then would have only confused her even more, possibly brought more pain than needed. She smiled softly and looked up at the Autobot Leader. "Besides, I knew there would come a time when you would need these very words to help you through a time when you might lose faith." He said softly, adding in proof that he had the wisdom of ages to know what she was going to go through.

"You're right, Optimus. Thankyou." She said, clasping her hands together down in front of her as she stood. "You've always had words of kindness, no matter what the situation." She said, smiling. She was about to say something more when Carlos rounded the corner.

"Yo, Alexis! I finally found you!" He gasped, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. "Rad was lookin' for ya, he wanted to know if you wanted to go out to the lake with us and a few of the 'bots!" Carlos was more well-built now, not as lanky as he was eleven years ago. His hair was still slightly floofy and his eyes were still the same dark brown as they were when they were kids. He had taken to working out, so his muscles were a bit more toned. He and Rad made it a habit three times a week to go to the gym and have little competitions about who could do more bench presses, lift more, run more on the treadmill. It kept them going and in shape for anything that might happen. Alexis laughed when she saw her friend out of breath.

"You know you _could _have used the comm system to contact me, right?" She asked, grinning. Carlos straightened up and his cheeks went red, his face looking flustered.

"Aww, come on, gimme a break! At least it was good exercise!" He shot back defensively. Alexis giggled, then laughed. Optimus joined in the laughter, Carlos crossing his arms and glaring at the wall, for an instant looking like he did eleven years ago. "Come on, Optimus, not you too!" He grumbled, looking back at the two friends of his. Alexis just covered her mouth in an attempt to stop laughing.

"Sorry, Carlos." Optimus said, apologizing, but one could still see the lightheartedness in his optics. Alexis looked up at the Autobot Leader and smiled. "Did you want to come with? You ARE supposed to be on vacation, after all." She said, making a very good point. A low hum came from the giant robot, his blue head tilting as if thinking about it.

"Come on, man, don't make my run here pointless!" Said Carlos, trying to get Optimus to come with by using a little bit of human guilting. Optimus chuckled and nodded. "Alright, I will go with. You have the coordinates, Carlos?"

"Already plugged in, man! We are set to go!" He said cheerfully, straightening up.

"YOU might be, but I need to run home and grab some supplies, like a bathing suit!" Alexis piped in, crossing her arms. Carlos gave an exasperated sigh.

"Well hurry up! The day is perfect and you're wasting time!"

Alexis laughed and nodded. "I'll ask Sureshock if he will give me a ride to my house real quick…unless you would, Optimus. You're a little faster and we'd get back here sooner." She asked hopefully, looking up at the leader. Optimus chuckled and nodded.

"Of course, I don't have a problem with it, Alexis. I will meet you outside." He said, watching as the two humans gave each other looks of excitement and dart off.

"Thanks, Optimus!" Alexis said as she ran out the door, still a kid in some ways, though she was 23 years old now. Being around the Autobots (and the Decepticons now, since the war had ended all those years ago) made her remember how things were back when she was younger. They were the only connection she had to Starscream anymore. Even though she didn't want to admit it, that was part of the reason that she loved hanging around them so much. The other reason was that they were her friends and she would do anything for them. Especially after everything that they had been through, how they had helped her, Optimus in particular.

* * *

><p>About twenty minutes later she found herself rummaging around in her room, searching for her bathing suit…or rather, the top piece to it. She growled as she began throwing things out of her closet to find it.<p>

"Oh come on! I hardly EVER lose things! Of course today would be the day I would lose the top to my bathing suit! Grrrrr!" she said, yelling at the contents of her closet. She saw a slight glint out of the corner of her eye deep in the closet and she looked towards it, reaching back to grab it, thinking it was one of the metal dangles that hung off of her top. She grabbed it and squealed happily.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, yanking it out of a box that it had somehow gotten into. She turned around with the blue and silver top and placed it in her backpack with the bottom half, some towels, sunscreen, a few snacks and deflated beach toys. She glanced around her room, thinking something was missing, when her eyes landed on her nightstand. There, laying on its own cord, was her pendant. She found herself biting her lip as she debated grabbing it and wearing it. As she watched, it glowed softly. She knew it did this every so often, but she never knew why. She sighed and walked over to it, picking it up gently.

"_Alexis…."_

She dropped the pendant in shock, hearing a soft thud as it hit her nightstand again, whirling to find…nothing. There was no one in her room. She stuck her head out the window to see if Optimus had called her, but the truck outside her house hadn't moved at all. She pulled her head back in and looked around again, her heart pounding, fearing there was someone sneaking around her home. Without a second thought she grabbed the pendant again and her backpack, slipping out of her room and sneaking down her hallway towards her front door, listening for any sounds. There was nothing and no one in her house. She gave a huge sigh of relief and walked into her kitchen to grab her radio before leaving. She figured music would be in order for such a fine day.

She made sure to grab her keys before heading out, locking the door before turning around to face the brilliant sunlight reflecting off of the brightly-painted Autobot-in-semi-form in front of her. The chrome of anything not painted blue or red glistened in the light as if nothing had ever touched the fine metal. She grinned and wandered up to the truck and reached up, pulling on his door handle. It opened with ease and she climbed in, setting her backpack next to her.

"Ready to go, Alexis?" He asked, the voice seeming to come from all around her. She nodded.

"Mm-hmm! Ready for some relaxation at the lake!" She said, cheerful. She glanced down at her hand, noting she still had the pendant with her. As Optimus started back towards the base to use the Warp Gate, she stared at the dashboard and bit her lip.

"Optimus…did you call for me at all while I was in my house getting ready?" She asked, a bit afraid she already knew his answer.

"No, I did not. Is something wrong?" He answered, shifting gears as he rounded the corner and got onto the main street. Alexis sighed.

"I don't know. I swear I heard someone say my name in my house. I had picked up my pendant to bring it with and…" her voice trailed off as she stared at her pendant, something striking her very odd about it. Something wasn't….right about it. It looked different. Optimus waited a moment to see if she was going to say anything else after that before speaking.

"Someone said your name after you picked it up? Hmm…" He said, curious now. Alexis nodded absently, studying her pendant more closely. Suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks.

"…Optimus…the crack…it's gone!" she gasped, her heart beating wildly. Her fingers traced over where the crack used to be, her eyes wide in shock. There was no way that it would have repaired itself like that. It cracked when he died...what would have caused it to suddenly disappear?

"What?" Optimus exclaimed as they pulled into the entrance to the Autobot base that was hidden underground still. "Are you sure?" He came to a stop and Alexis jumped out quickly with her bag, pendant still in hand. She held it out to him as he transformed.

"Yes, look!"

Optimus leaned down, grasping the pendant's tiny cord gently and bringing it up to his face, his optics scanning it. A low rumble came from deep within him, as if he were deep in thought.

"Hmm...there is no trace of damage at all, save for natural flaws that all natural crystalline objects have. You are right, Alexis, it's indeed gone..." he said, his voice trailing off as he lowered the crystal back to the young woman below him. She held her hands out and encased the crystal gently between her palms as he released it, the cord falling gently over her hands. She opened her hands to look at it, her mind and heart confused.

"How...?" she whispered softly, completely perplexed. Her thoughts and Optimus' were interrupted by a loud voice that was laced with anxiety.

"Come on, you guys! The warm water is waiting!" Carlos said, having peeked around the corner, waiting anxiously. He was ready to get going and have some fun in the sun. Alexis looked up at Carlos, then at Optimus, and then back at Carlos, nodding. She slipped her pendant back on around her neck and picked up her bag, stepping towards her friend.

"Aw, man, not that necklace again...you've worn it ever since we fought Unicron." Carlos said, sighing. Alexis slugged him on the shoulder, earning a loud cry from the guy.

"Oww! What was that for?" He whined, rubbing his sore arm.

"THAT was for harrassing me about my necklace. It means alot to me, okay?" She said, her face suddenly clouded with that same stubborn determination as she looked straight ahead, not looking at him. She was NOT going to take crap about wearing it again. "I'll wear it as I please."

"Okay, okay, sorry..." He said, walking closer to Optimus as they all headed to the Warp Gate room. "Remind me again never to get on her bad side..." he whispered to Optimus, who chuckled softly.

"What was that?" Alexis had stopped in her tracks and was glaring at Carlos. Adults though they were, they still had arguments like they were kids. It was part of what kept them who they were and part of what kept them friends. Carlos backed up, his hands waving in front of him.

"Hey, whoa, I just said I don't wanna get on your bad side, that's all!" He said, his face showing the fear of getting pummled again. Alexis grinned.

"Good, just you remember that." It was all Optimus could do to keep from chuckling more at his two human friends. "Now, lets get to that lake and have some fun!" She said, making a fist in front of her chest, a sign of determination. Not that it took much to have fun, but between the job she had as an ambassador between her race and the Transformers, the computer work she did with them and her two male friends, she had her hands quite full. So today would be quite the break from everything, and she looked forward to it.

* * *

><p>AN - I have this terryfing fear that the characters I write are going to be out-of-character. If this happens, please forgive me. I am doing my best to make sure they stay as in-character as I can manage. Other than that, Ch. 2 is already on it's way.


	3. Ch2  The Destroyer Lives

Song used: "Somewhere" by Within Temptations

Where Earth and Sky Meet

Chapter 2

The Destroyer Lives

* * *

><p><em>Lost in the Darkness<em>

_Hoping for a sign_

_Instead there's only silence_

_Can't you hear my screams?_

This dream was a different one. She felt like she was running on...nothing through space, stars all around her, under her, above her, everywhere. She kept running, her pendant swaying left and right on her chest, her hair flying about her face. Over and over she cried out a name, as if she knew he were out here in the black of space, lost. She had no idea where she was going, only that she needed to keep going. She just HAD to.

_Never stop hoping_

_Need to know where you are_

_But one thing's for sure_

_You're always in my heart._

Through her running, threads of a soft song kept echoing around her, floating like a soft mist around her, guiding her slowly with each step as she ran through space. Her eyes were filled with worry and a need for hope, a need to know where the one she sought had disappeared to. All around her, she could see galaxies spinning slowly, life as she knew it either being created or destroyed at every moment on distant planets in distant solar systems. The light from the stars and galaxies around her was brilliant and breathtaking, and a reminder of just how small she really was in comparison.

_I'll find you somewhere_

_I'll keep on trying_

_Until my dying day._

_I just need to know_

_Whatever has happened_

_The truth will free my soul._

She felt herself running toward a very specific galaxy, still crying out that same name. It was the name that her heart and soul cried out to, somehow knowing he was out there somewhere. She had no idea where he was or how to help bring him back home. Though, what would be home for him? Cybertron? Or Earth? Or, did the old saying apply to Transformers as it did humans?

_Lost in the darkness_

_Trying to find your way home_

_I want to embrace you _

_And never let you go_

'Home is where your heart is', she thought, remembering the saying. It was all she needed to keep going, running through a nebula of the most pure and beautiful colors that she had ever seen. Purples and blues, greens the color of her pendant, yellow swirls and magenta splotches painted a scene of creation across a black sky littered with sparkling diamonds. She kept running, towards that same galaxy, her heart crying out silently as she verbally cried out his name again and again still, unable to stop running for fear she'd never find him.

_Almost hope you're in Heaven_

_So no one can hurt your soul_

_Living in agony_

_Cause I just do not know_

_Where you are_

An image began to form slowly in front of her, but always staying the same distance from her. It was the one she was looking for, but a different color. As he turned around to her voice, those same silver optics caught on hers. She cried out his name, but he seemed indifferent, yet hesitant. As if he didn't recognize her, but did. She kept running, unable to get close at all. It was more infuriating than anything at all in her entire life, but she had to keep trying.

_I'll find you somewhere_

_I'll keep on trying_

_Until my dying day._

_I just need to know_

_Whatever has happened_

_The truth will free my soul._

Her pendant began to glow brilliantly, casting a green hue on the other's armor, the light glinting off of his silver optics. Alexis, even while running, saw him stare at the pendant, his optics widening slightly as if he knew what it was. She reached out her hand toward him, yelling for him to take her hand. He reached out slowly...

_Wherever you are_

_I won't stop searching_

_Whatever it takes me know..._

And the figure suddenly shifted to and orange and grey figure, glaring red optics piercing through her soul as it reached for her. Alexis screamed and withdrew her hand, her pendant glowing brighter than ever, as if protecting her. The orange figure withdrew from the light, growling darkly. Soon darkness took over everything, only those red optics remaining. The stars disappeared, the galaxies, the nebulae, everything except twin bright red optics glaring in the darkness, a sense of pure chaos and evil emanating from them.

_I'll find you somewhere_

_I'll keep on trying_

_Until my dying day._

_I just need to know_

_Whatever has happened_

_The truth will free my soul..._

_**He's mine...**_

Those two words reverberated through her mind as she woke in a cold sweat, crying out as she sat up, fear lancing through her entire body, eyes wide. She had fallen asleep with her pendant on, and the glow it had been emanating was fading fast. She gasped and drew her blankets around her, praying she hadn't woken up the others. Unfortunately, they had heard her and came rushing to her tent.

"Alexis? You okay?"

"Hey, are you alright?"

Both Rad and Carlos came up to the door of her tent, but didn't come in out of respect for her. She swallowed and leaned over, unzipping the tent flap to let them in. Her tent was large enough to hold the three of them in a small circle. Her face was covered in sweat and her heart was beating rapidly. Her face was pale and some of her hair stuck to the sides of her face. She lit a small lamp and set it in the middle of the three of them as the other two sat down, pulling her blankets closer around her.

"I don't know if I am alright. I just...had a really bad dream." She said, staring down at the lamp. "Guys...I don't think Unicron is dead..." she said, shaking softly. Carlos and Rad stared at each other, and then her.

"No way, man, we kicked his giant robot butt for good!" Carlos said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Carlos is right, Alexis. We did defeat him...if he were still alive I am sure the Transformers would have heard something by now." Rad said, trying to comfort her. Alexis shook her head, unfazed.

"No. I have a really bad feeling, guys." She looked at Rad. "Rad, please, trust me on this." She said, her eyes betraying fear, worry, and something else. Something that reminded Rad of the day that she turned and looked at him after nearly beating her hand bloody against the window after Starscream died. Finally he nodded. "Alright."

"Aw, no, man, you too? Man, Unicron is _dead_, dudes..." Carlos sighed, not believing what he was hearing. Rad looked at Carlos and pointed at Alexis.

"If you knew some of the stuff she does, you'd believe he wasn't dead, either." Rad said, getting out of the tent. Carlos stared after him in disbelief, then looked at Alexis.

"What's he talkin' 'bout, Alexis?"

Alexis sighed and rolled her eyes. _Thanks, Rad! _she mentally shot at him as he left the tent, pulling out her pendant and holding it to Carlos.

"See anything different?"

It took a moment for him to realize what was wrong with the pendant. He sat straight up, then looked back down at it again.

"Whoa, no way! When did that happen?" he asked, shocked. There was definitely something strange going on.

"I just noticed it the other day. Could have been a few weeks ago, that's when my dreams started happening." She said, pulling the pendant back over her head and around her neck. Carlos raised his eyebrows at her.

"Dreams? What you having dreams about?"

Alexis glanced off to one side.

"Starscream."

Carlos sat there for a moment, staring at her, as if trying to figure out exactly WHAT kind of dreams she was talking about. Finally he figured they weren't the ones he was hoping they weren't and shrugged.

"Well it's not like you were in love with the dude, so they couldn't be that bad. What, was he like, trying to communicate with you or something?"

Suddenly Carlos found himself under the world's most icy stare. He blinked at Alexis, wondering what earned himself that cold glare from his best friend.

"Whaaat?" He whined, shrinking under her gaze. She stuck a forefinger into the middle of his chest, leaning forward into his personal bubble, almost face to face.

"The ONLY part of that I am going to answer is that yes I DO believe he is alive and yes I DO believe he was trying to communicate, especially this last time. Mention anything else in that statement you just used and I will make sure your head is no longer attached to your shoulders!" she said, trying to keep her voice down enough to not involve the Autobots that were being roused outside by Rad. Carlos stared at Alexis with disbelief. She...she couldn't be...really? He gulped and sat back, trying to get away from her finger.

"Geez, Alexis, don' need to get all defensive-like...It's okay if...you know..."his voice wavered and drifted off as he got caught under her glare again, but it was a little softer this time. After a moment she sighed, pulling back and sitting in her blankets again.

"Sorry, Carlos...it's...just been a rough time lately."

Carlos tilted his head a little and watched her. "You really do care for 'im, don't ya?" He asked gently, hoping to not get his head bit off again. Alexis looked at him for a moment as if debating this very thought, and then nodded.

"...yeah..." she stared at the lamp again. "Sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

"Eh, I dunno...maybe a little weird, but hey, if he makes ya happy, why not?" He said, though deep down he found it really, really weird. But Alexis was his friend, and he would stand by her. They had all been through a lot together, so what if this was one more twist in the crazy plotline that was their life? Alexis looked up at him with a strange but relieved look.

"You really mean that?" She asked, her eyes wide. Carlos only nodded, his mouth opening to answer when Rad poked his head back in.

"Alexis? Optimus wants to see you. I told him about that dream and he wants you to tell them."

Alexis nodded and grabbed her robe, sliding it around as Carlos crawled out of the tent, chasing Rad away from the doorway. After running her hand through her hair to straighten it slightly, she crawled out after them, coming face to face with the Autobots that had been with them for the camping vacation. She looked up at Optimus, the one she knew would trust her. She glanced around at the others, then looked back at Optimus and began to explain her dream with each little detail, keeping the more personal feelings about Starscream out of it. After she finished, all of them sat stunned, staring at her.

"So...you're saying that Unicron was never dead to begin with? You mean that whole 'join-up-and-defeat-Unicron' thing was all for nothin'?" Hotshot said, crossing his arms in pure annoyance. His face showed it, too, as he glared off to one side at the ground. It was complete slag as far as he was concerned. "What was all the hard work and teamwork for, then?"

"Hotshot, you of ALL of us know just how much defeating Unicron meant at that time. It meant the salvation of our planet and our race. Otherwise we would have all destroyed ourselves as Unicron destroyed Cybertron." Optimus said gently, looking at the red and yellow Autobot. Hotshot looked at Optimus, his optics widening slightly, then looked down in embarrassment. For a short time, he had been the leader of the Autobots, and he had also lead the assault force -the entire Cybertronian Armada- into battle against Unicron in the hopes of saving their planet. And it had worked.

"Not only that, but you guys achieved peace as well." Alexis pointed out. Her words rang true to everyone there. The Autobots and Decepticons had achieved an unsteady alliance for the first few years, and after that the trust began to build between the two previously warring factions. The thought of not having to fight anymore was foreign to many, but a relief to many more.

"If Unicron is back, I am allllll over the idea of sending his oversized metal frame back to whatever corner of space he came from!" Jetfire said, his voice slightly growly as he stuffed one fist into his other hand as if punching something. Optimus looked at Jetfire and chuckled.

"Patience. If what Alexis says is true, we are going to need all the resources we can gather to defeat him again. This time it won't be as easy. He will remember the battle from last time." He said, wanting to come up with a battle plan of some sort. In order to do this, they would need to go back to Cybertron. But proving that Unicron was back to everyone with just the dream of a girl from a different galaxy would be the most difficult part. He had a feeling that there was more to the dream than Alexis had outwardly let on, but he would ask her about it later. He looked at his closest friends and teammates, noting a look on Red Alert's face. The medic was staring at Alexis as if trying to figure out something.

:Is something wrong, Red Alert?: He asked via internal comms. He sensed a hesitation from Red Alert, then finally an answer.

:I don't know. I feel like she is hiding something.: He said, a bit of worry creeping into his internal voice.

:I wouldn't worry about it, Red Alert. You know we can trust them. They wouldn't lead us astray, not now, not especially if Unicron is in this. Unicron can destroy their planet, too, you know.: Optimus sent back, calming the medic, but not by much. He still sensed Red Alert was uneasy about something, but decided to not say anything more on the matter for now. He began to wonder how he would react if the medic knew about how the human girl felt about the seeker that had died eleven years ago. Only time would tell. He knew eventually it would be revealed to all of them.

:Yes, I know.: Was all that came back. They watched as the three humans were talking amongst themselves for a few minutes, while Optimus informed the rest of the Autobots they would have to head back to Cybertron. The conversation was overheard by Alexis and the others, and they all turned to face the Autobot Leader, looks of shock on their faces.

"Hey, you can't leave without us!" Carlos said, taking a step forward towards the Autobots.

"Yeah there is NO way I am letting you leave us behind like you nearly did last time this happened!" Rad added, stepping up with Carlos. Alexis joined in, her own voice determined as she looked straight at Optimus.

"You KNOW I have to go." was all she said. Red Alert looked at her, then at Optimus, then back at her. Optimus nodded, consenting.

"Very well. We leave in the morning. We'll take you to your respective homes to gather supplies and then we will be off." the leader said, standing. He was going to head to the edge of the lake to do some thinking and create some strategies. When the three of them nodded in contented agreement, he walked towards the lake. Jetfire and Hotshot walked off to talk -more like have a heated discussion- and Red Alert decided to have his own chat with Alexis. He caught her attention and waved her over while Rad and Carlos went back to their tents to tidy up and get ready to leave in the morning.

Alexis walked over to Red Alert, her feet bare and the grass tickling and cooling the bottoms of her feet lightly. It felt good, really, to be barefoot without a care in the world in a place as serene as this was. The moon hung high in the sky, the brilliant moonlight flickering off the water and giving everything a soft blue hue. She sat next to the big blue and white Autobot and looked up at him.

"Is something wrong, Red Alert?" She asked, mirroring Optimus' earlier question. The medic looked down at the small human at his side and watched her a moment. After a few seconds, he nodded.

"Are you certain you didn't leave anything out in your recounting of your dream, Alexis? It could be important." He said, watching her. Even though he was a medic, he was also protective of his companions and he always watched their backs. He understood that Alexis and the other two were their friends, but when he sensed something was off, he was usually right. Alexis stared at him for a moment, thinking.

"No, I told you everything there is to know, everything I remember. It was really vivid, though."

Red Alert watched her still, not convinced. He ran a scan on her vitals, then decided to test a theory. Running continual scans, he asked another question.

"What about Starscream? Was there anything in relation to him?" He asked, curious.

Her heartrate jumped and her pulse thudded in her head. Her cheeks flushed under the moonlight slightly, but she shook her head.

"The only thing was that I think, somehow, he was there to try to warn me...warn us about Unicron." She said, not aware that Red Alert had been watching her vitals. "Though I don't know how, considering he's, well..." she found herself unable to finish the sentence. Red Alert sighed. Alexis stared at Red Alert, growing confused. "Did I...do something wrong?"

Red Alert realized with that question that Alexis was true to her motives, but the reason she seemed to be hiding something lay centered around Starscream.

"You...never got over Starscream's sacrifice, did you?" He asked quietly. Alexis' cheeks flushed softly and she looked down.

_Why is it now everyone can tell? _she wondered briefly. She had kept her secret well enough for the last eleven years, save for telling Prime. Now, with Unicron coming back, her crystal reformed and her dreams keeping her awake, suddenly everyone seemed to be able to tell. She sighed dejectedly.

"...Not really, no. He was...we had a really close friendship...at least I like to think so..." she said, speaking as much of the truth and as close to the truth as she dared. She knew Red Alert was analytical and a somewhat strict bot, so who knew how he would react to her feelings. Red Alert watched her for a moment, not sure what to think.

"If he's somehow back and is able to communicate with you, then we have a very lucky break to know about Unicron before he gets here, or to Cybertron." He said, standing up. "Thankyou, Alexis. I know that was...hard for you, but at least I have a better understanding now as to why you know about Unicron and why Starscream seemed to be able to warn you." He turned to head out when Alexis stopped him.

"He didn't warn me. He just...appeared in space...but he was just transparent. Like a ghost. I kept trying to reach him...and Unicron appeared over him and said 'he's mine'..." She reminded him, but adding the last two words that she had previously left out of the first time she explained it. She wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about the dream again. It was unnerving to say the least. Red Alert looked at her in alarm, his processors whirring with this new information.

"Alexis...if you are correct about all this, then I have a feeling more than just Unicron is alive." He said, watching her for a second more before turning to head to Optimus with this information. Alexis stood there and watched him, turning around after he passed a line of trees and stared out at the water. She looked up toward the sky, reaching up to grasp her now softly-glowing pendant. For some reason it felt warm to the touch now, and she swore she could feel Starscream's presence somewhere nearby.

_Starscream...please come home..._she thought mentally, unable to help herself, unable to help the thoughts that crossed her mind, the wish for him to come back.

* * *

><p>AN - Now to work on Ch3. I have a few ideas for this one. Sorry for being focused on Alexis most of the time, but I needed to get this part out to get everything set into stone. I know where this is going, just needed to plant the seeds. New look for the next one, so look forward to it! Merry Christmas, everyone!


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